This letter was sent to W. H. Owen by John Parry, Captain of the 'Duke of Rothesay', off Cape Gris Nez, France, 13 November 1863. The ship sailed from Gluckstadt last Sunday, carrying a cargo of sheep. Captain Parry regrets to inform W. H. Owen that all the carrots for the sheep's use (300 sacks weighing 30,000 pounds) have gone rotten and the water has turned quite black and foul smelling. The sheep have not had any drinking water since: one of them died while they were at Gluckstadt and another is very poorly. While they were at Gluckstadt they informed Mr Pinkernell as to the state of the water, carrots and sheep and he came on board in very low spirits. He examined the carrots and the water and ordered that all the carrots be thrown overboard. He did not know what to say about the water.